Sunday, January 30, 2011

Perfect 10

I am waiting for my MP3 downloads to finish. They are all piano covers, providing a different take on songs that I either love or hate. I enjoy dancing to nonsensical ramblings from Ke$ha and Rihanna, but with the right instrument and interpretation, the songs transform into classics. I also find Bieber songs too shrill and tweeny for my taste, but I love the instrumental version of "Pray" *.

As a kid I used to love instrumental music. When my English teacher asked us to pick a song, write down the lyrics and explain its message, I chose a Kenny G standard. The melody, instrument, and the artist's emotion more than made up for the lack of prose. Within the song I read love, sex, and life. That's what I wrote, and for the effort I got a fat 0. It broke my young heart and my emerging creative spirit.

As a compromise, Mrs. Hitler allowed me to submit a revision. I leafed through a copy of my yaya's songhits and picked Bette Midler's "The Rose". I've never heard the song, but the lyrics seemed poetic enough for an easy interpretation (ok I did like the second stanza). I got a perfect 10, and she was ecstatic. "It's one of my favorite songs, Sean. I'll bring a CD player tomorrow." I cut class the next day.

As with my appreciation of a Bieber song, I can now find joy in things I usually find ordinary or even loathe. What I still struggle with at times is the need for validation, fulfillment based on other people's norms. I need to keep reminding myself that this is my life, not an interpretation of others'. I shouldn't have to compromise just to hear someone say I'm a 10.

I love cover songs. I sometimes roam around YouTube and explore on the cover versions of some hit pop/hip-hop songs and surprised how they can turn it into acoustic or pop-rock. One of my favorites is The Fray covering Kanye West's Heartless.

Mrs. Hitler is horrible. Buti you cut classes. Lol.

Now I'll explore in YouTube to look for piano covers this time. Thanks for posting this Sean. :)

I love instrumentals, but I am into this fusion of instrumental music that blends acoustic and electronic music... Try to look up the band Encounters with a Yeti and listen to their songs over at their Myspace page.

@ louie : i love acoustic covers too. the fray is also in my playlist :) enjoy trawling for good finds in youtube!

@ orally : yeah, ewan ko nga ba kung bakit kailangan no? if i'm not mistaken, yo yo ma's supposed to be the best cellist? i like the classical pieces that he plays and the songs for memoirs of a geisha. have to check on his other songs cause i think he also plays contemporary music?

@ desole boy : fave ko yung 2nd stanza:It's the heart, afraid of breakingThat never learns to danceIt's the dream, afraid of wakingThat never takes the chanceIt's the one who won't be takenWho cannot seem to giveAnd the soul, afraid of dyingThat never learns to live

@ citybuoy : sounds interesting though may need some getting used to (songs i used to dance to will now cradle me to sleep). i like the idea though. searching for it online now.

@ canonista : wow ang dami pala nyang depapepe! When your post came out, i listened to the 7 songs you listed hehe. Actually mas napansin ko sa list mo yung Jazz collection, all of which I love. nag-cross-check pa ako against what i have (kasi andaming nawala from my collection before) so I can download what's missing! And thanks for introducing encounters with a yeti. ang galing! need to buy their cd kasi i can't download online.